Prospect evaluation: Martinez
Alec Martinez
Defenseman
DOB - 7-26-87
Stats:
Miami/Ohio (NCAA): 10 goals, 20 assists (30 points), 42 PIM (final 2008 stats)
Accolades: Named Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Best Defensive Defenseman for 2008.
From Inside College Hockey.com:
12/20/07: Martinez does it all -- he's an extremely reliable defender.
3/14/08: Martinez continually exudes a strong presence at both ends of the ice. The junior notched 26 points on seven goals and 19 assists, all while maintaining a gaudy +26 plus-minus rating that many blueliners sacrifice in exchange for those kind of offensive numbers.

Rich Hammond has covered the Kings, on a full-time or part-time basis, since the 2000-01 season. He was the beat writer for the entire John Torchetti era and has witnessed Bob Miller singing country music in a Nashville honky-tonk bar. A native of Los Angeles, Rich has worked at the Daily News since 1999 and also serves as the paper's deputy sports editor. E-mail Rich at 

"he's an extremely reliable defender" ? That's something we've been missing for a while now.
Don't know much about him, but a lot of people seem to think he's closer to the big show than any other defensive prospect we have, with the exception of Harrold.